


The return

by Kiki242



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-04-26 21:27:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5021128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiki242/pseuds/Kiki242
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>About a year or so after going back to the League, Nyssa comes back to Star City on a pit stop to visit Laurel. Unfortunately, she comes face to face with Laurel's new teacher and some things that weren't dealt with before she left. Will be a multi chapter fic with lots of shit going down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Nyssa, this is Sh-"

"I know who she is", Nyssa Al Ghul cut in coolly, eyeing Sandra Wu-San with a cold gaze that was returned.

The woman before hardened her stare, tilting her head slightly forward in greeting, "hello, Nyssa. She and I are acquainted, Little Bird",

"Old League buddies, right", Laurel said awkwardly, her eyes shifting worriedly between the two women. She half expected that a fight was going to break out with the way they were glaring at each other. "Bad history?" She offered lamely.

"She is a traitor" Nyssa hissed. That made Laurel look at her in surprise and earned her an eye roll and a mocking smirk from Shiva.

"I served my duty to the League when I gave birth to Cain's child",

Nyssa took a threatening step towards Shiva, her eyes narrowing, "you took an oath-" she began menacingly but was cut off by Laurel stepping in between her and Shiva.

"Okay, ladies, let's cool it. I don't want some assassin smack down going on in my living room and I would like it if my former mentor and current one could get along", Laurel said, staring pleadingly at Nyssa, "at least be civil", Seeing the look in her eyes, Nyssa appeased her. She heaved a sigh, relaxed her muscles and sat on the couch. Laurel turned and asked the same thing of Shiva, that she calm down and stop being so confrontational. The Paper Monkey rolled her eyes and went down the hall towards her room.

Nyssa had relaxed but there was a very dissatisfied scowl upon her face. When she had decided to pay Laurel a visit, after haven't seeing her in nearly a year (due to not being anywhere near Star City), she didn't think that it would turn out like this. It had started out rather nicely with Laurel pulling her into a tight, warm hug as soon as she opened the door. Then, she came into the living room to the ungodly sight of Sandra Wu-san. Her mood had went from happy to livid in the matter of seconds. What in the world was Laurel doing associating with the likes of  _her?_ That had been what made her so angry truly. This spelled nothing but trouble and Laurel was going to get put in a bad position.

She eyed the lawyer warily as she came to sit by her on the couch. Laurel let out a sigh as she plopped next to her friend. Seeing the way Nyssa was looking at her, she raised an eyebrow, "what?"

"What is she doing here?" Nyssa questioned harshly.

Not liking her tone, Laurel became slightly defensive and agitated. "She's my mentor. Or did you miss the part where I said that?" she shot back.

Nyssa forced herself to relax even more and took a calming breath. Being combative with Laurel was going to be counterproductive. After exhaling, she tried again, "why are you learning from her, Laurel?" She is not someone you want to associate with,"

"Why? Because she walked out on the League?"

"No, it's because I know what and who she truly is. I also know what she wants from you. Someone like her doesn't offer or give training lessons without a price", Nyssa explained.

"I'm giving her the same things I gave you: a place to call home, friendship, and kindness", Laurel replied. She found Nyssa's behavior and attitude towards Lady Shiva to be rather unbecoming. Shiva was a little rough around the edges but that much could be expected from a mercenary/assassin. Nyssa had been the same way. She evened had her poisoned for crying out loud.

"The situations are not the same. I am nothing like her", Nyssa spat angrily.

Laurel waved that off with a hand, "oh, please, you two share quite a few similarities",

"But not where it counts",

Laurel looked her confusingly with her eyebrows knitted together "meaning?"

"I wouldn't try to turn you into a killing machine and I know that isn't you", Nyssa explained.

"Shiva hasn't done anything in the slightest to suggest she wants to do such s thing", Laurel argued.

"Because you're not ready to be the next Shiva. You are not at the level of perfection, yet. Taking hold of that mantle, I hope you know what that entails,"

Laurel then became contemplative for a moment. There could be some truth in what Nyssa had said. She wouldn't make something up like this or say this without reason. "Alright, I will talk to her about it",

That didn't satisfy Nyssa. She shook her head, "you are really going to give her the benefit of the doubt?"

"Yep", Laurel answered, popping her mouth on the p. Her answer and the way she said it annoyed Nyssa, causing the assassin to frown.

"You are far too trusting",

Laurel smiled at her impishly, "Nyssa", she began, licking her lips. She didn't notice how Nyssa's eyes shifted down briefly at that, "the very first time you came to Star City, what did you do to me?"

At first, Nyssa was confused. She hadn't met Laurel at that time but then it hit her. Laurel could see the realization dawn on Nyssa as she blanched. A feeling if immense guilt overflowed Nyssa at the memories, "I kidnapped your mother", she mumbled reluctantly.

"Uh huh", Laurel prodded, "keep going",

"I poisoned you", she said regrettably. Her brown eyes shined with the remorse she felt and it made Laurel almost feel about for teasing her about the whole thing. Almost.

"Exactly and I would still trust you with my life despite of what you've done",

Laurel had made her point resoundingly with Nyssa. Considering all things, Laurel had every right to not trust Nyssa herself but yet she did. Because Laurel was one to give people the benefit of the doubt and to have a little faith in everyone, even if they had wronged her. "Hey", Laurel said softy. She lifted up Nyssa's head by the chin, getting the assassin to look at her. All sprinkles of humor that had been present in Laurel's green eyes were now gone and replaced with concern, "you zoned out on me". She then brushed a strand of hair from Nyssa's face and placed it behind her ear, "don't beat yourself over it too much. It's in the past",

A smile tugged at the corners of Nyssa's lips. She did her best to ignore the way her heart stuttered at Laurel's touch. They were picking up right where they left off before Nyssa's departure for home, something more right beyond the veil of friendship trying to break through the surface. Now looking in Laurel's kind eyes, a thought was reinforced to Nyssa, "I've missed you", she admitted.

That earned her a soft smile, "I've missed you as well, Nyssa",

Nyssa weighed her next words carefully in her mind, debating on the consequences of them. She decided to bite the bullet, "do you know what I would think about nearly every time before I went to bed in Nanda Parbat?"

Intrigued, Laurel shook her head no.

"Your expression when I left. The disappointment, sadness, and anger in your eyes," Nyssa said softly.

Laurel immediately shifted uncomfortably and scooted a little away from Nyssa, "I'm not angry about you leaving",

"You are. I saw it in your eyes and I can hear it in your voice now", Nyssa argued. Laurel scoffed and stood. She made a move to walk away but was stopped by Nyssa grabbing her by the wrist. Laurel looked down at her with a somber look on her face.

"Why are you angry with me?" Nyssa asked gently, her brown eyes shining.

Laurel sighed and sat back down. She answered while keeping her eyes firmly on her lap, "because I thought that it would be different with you. I figured that you wouldn't want to leave me too", Laurel then shook her head and let out a sad, bitter laugh, "it was the same old, same old. I drive people away",

"Laurel", Nyssa said in an attempt to get Laurel to look at her. But the stubborn lawyer kept her eyes away from Nyssa. The assassin tried again, "Laurel", she said stronger this time but still Laurel refused to meet her gaze. Aggravated and determined, Nyssa swiftly moved from her position on the couch and kneeled before Laurel. She grabbed her hands, "look at me", she ordered, using a tone that was saved for those under her command. Begrudgingly, Laurel obeyed, bringing her sad green eyes up to meet the determined ones of Nyssa. "You did  _not_ drive me away. It's the last thing that you could ever do. Nanda Parbat is my home and I had to return. I nearly stayed because of you?"

"Then why didn't you?" Laurel asked weakly.

Nyssa looked away but kept her grasp on Laurel's hands. She could both lie to protect the careful distance that they both kept between them or she could tell the truth and jeopardize taking things too far. Quite frankly, that distance had been slowly evaporating the moment Laurel sat on the couch next to her. A little bit of honesty couldn't hurt too much. "Look at us, Laurel. We're-" Nyssa stopped talking abruptly hearing the door open from the hallway.

Hearing it as well, Laurel stood to address her teacher. Nyssa slowly stood and could feel Laurel's emotional barrier coming up, telling her that Laurel was not one to display any kind of weakness or vulnerability in front of her new teacher. Nyssa partly wished that Laurel had treated her with the same professional regard when she had been under her tutelage. They wouldn't be in the mess they were in now.

Shiva came out of the hallway and abruptly stopped. Her dark, cold eyes studied both women intently. A smirk made its way in her face and Laurel prayed that she couldn't catch on to what was occurring between them. Shiva's eyes shifted back and forth from both women before firmly settling on Laurel, "I have some business to attend to, Little Bird. I will return some time tomorrow", she then swiftly made her exit from the apartment.

Laurel's body relaxed and she turned to address Nyssa once again, "why didn't you stay if you wanted to?" She asked quietly.

Nyssa's earlier reassurance of honesty being the best policy left her slightly. Her deliberating over the dilemma caused a silence that stretched on for seconds to fall upon them. Once she came to her decision, Nyssa exhaled softly and finally answered, "As I said, Nanda Parbat is my home and will always be. Even without my birthright I took an oath and must uphold that oath", she paused momentarily, struggling to get her next words out, "adding to that, I knew that had I stayed, this….. thing between us was only going to get worse and harder to fight", a bitter laugh escaped her, "it already has and we haven't seen each other in a long time",

Laurel's mouth fell slightly agape at Nyssa's admission. They had never talked about the "situation" (Laurel refused to truly name it what it really was) and that was the first time it had been addressed out loud. It was something that was just bubbling beneath the surface and they both knew it was there and tried to suppress it. Nyssa's visit was quite a testament to their unspoken contract. "I don't- I don't know what to say",

Nyssa shrugged a shoulder, "perhaps that we should pull back as we always do?" she took a step closer to Laurel.

"Nyssa", Laurel said warningly.

The assassin smiled humorlessly and ignored Laurel's warning to stop, "isn't funny how I left thinking I would stop feeling the way I do for you but the distance only made me yearn for you more?"

"Nyssa", Laurel's tone was more pleading this time and Nyssa somewhat felt bad about going this far, crossing the line completely.

Nyssa took a step closer and grabbed Laurel's hands in her own, "we can't change how we feel and ignoring it hasn't helped make matters better",

Laurel gave Nyssa's hands a squeeze, "that doesn't matter. As long as we don't do anything to betray Sara's memory, nothing else matters", Laurel replied thickly. But the thought of never having Nyssa was enough to make Laurel's heart break a little.

"The only way I could guarantee that never happening is if I walked out of this apartment, at this very moment and never saw you again. Do you want that?" Nyssa questioned softly. Laurel shook her head no in answer. Nyssa reached up and cupped her face with both hands as she stepped closer. Her proximity had an immediate effect. Laurel's heart began to hammer against her rib cage and her pupils dilated. Nyssa's eyes were dark and smoldering. The look in them made Laurel's will power slip even more through her fingers.

Nyssa began to lean in and Laurel felt as though she was frozen in place. Nyssa stopped when she was about a centimeter or so from Laurel's lips, "I want you, Laurel", she whispered before closing the gap between them. It was brief and chaste. Nyssa pulled back only to have Laurel pull her back in by the jacket, crashing her mouth into the lawyers'. Hearing Nyssa say those words out loud destroyed whatever little restraint Laurel had left in her.

Nyssa moaned into Laurel's mouth, welcoming her aggressiveness. Their lips kept in contact as Nyssa walked Laurel back over to the couch, where she pushed her down to sit. The stop in action left Laurel looking up at Nyssa with her mouth slightly agape, eyes clouded with desire and anticipation. Nyssa shed her jacket then preceded to graciously mount Laurel's lap. She wasted no time in reattaching her mouth to Laurel's, pushing her tongue through parted lips. Laurel's fingers slid up Nyssa's back under her shirt, coming into contact with warm skin, making the assassin shiver.

The kiss was broken by Nyssa as the need for oxygen eventually took priority. "Are you certain, Laurel?" she asked huskily. Her tone by itself was enough to send a bolt of arousal shooting through Laurel.

The lawyer nodded, "I want you to make love to me, Nyssa". She said shakily, her voice breathless.

Nyssa had to stifle a groan at Laurel's plea. That only fueled the fire for Laurel within her. "You are going to be the death of me, Laurel", she commented, her gaze intensifying. She then slinked out of Laurel's lap. Once she was on her feet, she held out her hand, "come. We are going to do this the right way". Laurel took her hand and stood.

She was quickly led to her bedroom, where once inside, Nyssa roughly pushed her up against the door, momentarily knocking the wind out of her. That went unnoticed by Nyssa as she pressed her mouth to Laurel's neck, discovering a sensitive spot immediately. "Nyssa", Laurel moaned at her ministrations. Nyssa responded by pulling at the hem of Laurel's shirt and only breaking the contact she had with her neck to pull it up and over her head, leaving Laurel completely topless.

The shirt barely had hit the floor before Laurel pulled Nyssa in for another kiss by the head, letting her fingers become entangled with the ebony locks. Nyssa took Laurel off guard as she lifted her off the floor by the waist. "The bed, Laurel", Nyssa said lowly into her mouth, responding to Laurel's gasp of surprise. Nyssa walked them over to the bed in question and gently placed Laurel upon it.

Nyssa wasted no time in helping Laurel shed the rest of her clothing, leaving her completely nude. Before attending to Laurel's rather obvious state of dire need, Nyssa rid herself of her shirt and bra. She then settled between Laurel's legs, kneeling on the floor. She placed a soft kiss on the inside of Laurel's slightly trembling thigh, keeping her eyes into contact with Laurel's. Laurel looked at her with wide eyes and her mouth slightly agape. Nyssa dropped her eyes from Laurel's to her center and felt the dull throb between her legs intensify. Wet didn't even begin to describe the current state Laurel was in and being the cause of it just turned Nyssa on all the more.

Laurel allowed her head to fall back onto the bed, her hands clutching the sheets as she waited. She could feel Nyssa's heated stare on her nether regions and had to fight the urge to squirm all or to beg Nyssa to just  _touch_  her already. Nyssa did eventually touch her again, placing a kiss that wasn't where Laurel wanted it but rather on her hip. Another one followed going in the opposite direction of her groin and Laurel couldn't help the low whine of pleasure/protest that escaped her, "Nyssa, please", she begged. Still, Nyssa continued her ascent up Laurel's body, placing kisses on the smooth, silky skin as she went. She licked up the rest of the way when she reached the valley between Laurel's breasts.

She then lifted her head and met Laurel's eyes once again, "do not worry, Laurel. I will not leave you unsatisfied", she purred in promise. She then descended her mouth to Laurel's and pressed her hips into Laurel's. Laurel pushed back and eagerly returned the kiss.

Her body was now so sensitive to sensation. She was so aware of every touch, every brush against her skin, picking up on the feel of Nyssa's naked breast pressed into her own and the rough feeling of Nyssa's dark jeans upon her bare legs. Laurel nearly jumped out of her skin at the feel of Nyssa's fingertips slowly tracing up her inner thigh, going to where she throbbed the most. Nyssa broke the kiss to pepper kisses along Laurel's neck and shoulders when finally, her fingers reached the apex between Laurel's legs.

Laurel's breath caught in her throat at the light brush against her clit. Nyssa allowed her fingers to gently touch the bundle of nerves again, this time causing Laurel to cry out softly. Nyssa placed a soft kiss to Laurel's jaw as she ghosted her fingers down to Laurel's entrance. Laurel arched against her hand and clutched to Nyssa's body, keeping her as close as she possibly could. Her blood boiled, she was already starting to break out in a sweat, and knew that she wouldn't last long at all. Her sensitivity was at an all-time high and it had been far too long since someone besides herself had brought her to completion. That person being Nyssa just made the whole experience that much more pleasurable.

"Quit teasing", Laurel hissed. That earned her a dark chuckle and a wet kiss on the shoulder. Finally, Nyssa did as Laurel wanted and slowly eased a finger inside. Laurel's body immediately clenched down on the invading appendage as her eyes closed and mouth fell open silently. Nyssa worked her up by slowly moving her finger and leisurely picking up the pace before adding another. Laurel's grip on Nyssa tightened and her fingers dug into Nyssa's back. The pleasure rushing through her increased and she couldn't help the sounds that escaped her. "Nyssa, yes", she whined.

Nyssa looked down into Laurel's pleasure contorted face. The sound of her name falling off Laurel's lips made throb between her own legs intensify to the point of slight pain but Nyssa ignored it, needing to see and hear Laurel reach completion. She hooked her fingers inside of Laurel and simultaneously pressed her palm to Laurel's button. That caused Laurel's whimpers to reach a higher pitch and eagerly thrust her hips into Nyssa's hand. "I'm almost there", she announced breathlessly.

"Let go, Laurel", Nyssa commanded softly in her ear. That was all it took. Laurel erupted, Nyssa's name leaving her lips in a loud cry. Her body arched and lights danced behind her eyelids as molten hot pleasure traveled through her veins. She dug her nails even harder into Nyssa's back, drawing blood, as she stuttered along her climax. Nyssa hardly felt the pain, to enraptured in the picture that Laurel made, her breathing nearly as ragged as Laurel's.

Once it began to fade, Nyssa kissed her tenderly, letting her emotion overcome her lust. Laurel sloppily returned it, her mind still somewhere up in the clouds. "Are you alright?" The assassin asked softly once she pulled back. Laurel blinked a few times to get her mind back in focus. She the nodded slowly in affirmative. Nyssa then slowly extracted her fingers from Laurel.

"I think you did quite a number on my back", Nyssa noted in a low voice.

Laurel immediately pulled her hands away from Nyssa's back and stared up at her apologetically, "sorry", she mumbled regrettably.

Nyssa replied by giving her another soft kiss, "do not fret over it", she murmured against Laurel's lips. She then pulled back and smirked, "you wear love making quite well", she pointed out. By now, Laurel was wearing a sheen of sweat, a red blush, and her chest still falling with heavy breaths. She made a sight to be held in Nyssa's eyes. Laurel reddened even more at the compliment and shyly looked away. Nyssa hummed humorously slightly at her reaction. She then stood from the bed to remove her lower body attire. The state of her arousal hit her full frontal then. Her hand slightly shook as she unbuttoned her jeans before quickly ridding herself of them and her ruined panties. Having taken care of Laurel really did a number on her.

She climbed back into bed and Laurel quickly rolled on top of her. Wanting to return the favor, Laurel kissed her way down Nyssa's body, coming to a stop when she reached the apex of her legs. Nyssa stiffened and closed her eyes, eagerly awaiting for Laurel to make a move. The lawyer started off by running her hands up Nyssa's thighs. That wasn't enough for the assassin. "You are taking your sweet time", she ground out through clenched teeth.

"Patience," Laurel replied. Nyssa opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by one quick swipe from Laurel's tongue. The words got caught in her throat as she exhaled sharply. Laurel then preceded to place a soft kiss to Nyssa's clit, causing the assassin to buck against her mouth. Laurel shifted slightly and placed Nyssa's legs over her shoulders. Her mouth then descended to Nyssa's center once again, pulling Nyssa's sensitive clit into her mouth.

"Laurel", Nyssa hissed at the sensation, grabbing Laurel by the head to ensure that she didn't stop. Laurel sucked on the bundle of nerves slightly harder, causing Nyssa to pull at her hair. Laurel winced at the pain but didn't relent on her task to get Nyssa off. She released Nyssa's clit from her mouth, giving it a swipe with her tongue before turning her attention to Nyssa's weeping entrance. Slowly, she licked around the hole, working Nyssa up. Nyssa let out a string of Arabic mixed in with Laurel's name as Laurel pushed one finger inside of her, her movements becoming more desperate and needy. Laurel slowly moved her finger and circled her tongue around Nyssa's clit.

The assassin clenched her legs around Laurel's head, her body arching nearly completely off the bed as her mouth fell open in a silent cry. Her mind went blank as she became aware to nothing beyond the pleasure coursing through her. When she finally came down, Nyssa became aware of Laurel placing soft kisses on her neck, murmuring lowly as she did so. Nyssa blinked and tried to focus her mind on what she was saying, "Repeat that", Nyssa rumbled deep in her throat, exhaustion overcoming her.

"I said I love you", Laurel repeated. Nyssa froze in shock, an unreadable expression taking over her features. Her non-reaction momentarily frightened Laurel. Her heart froze as she waited for Nyssa to say something, preferably something that let her know that she wasn't alone in this and that Nyssa was in love with her as well.

After a minute, Nyssa's eyes softened and a vulnerability shown in them that Laurel had never seen before, "I love you too, Laurel", she said tenderly. Laurel smiled at her affectionately before her smile was replaced with a troubled frown. "What's wrong?" Nyssa asked concerned.

"You're going to leave tomorrow",

Nyssa's face fell as the realization hit her. She was going to leave tomorrow. When she came to Star City, she immediately wanted to stay and now the feeling was increased tenfold and she didn't want the next day to come. "I can't stay", Nyssa replied solemnly.

"I know. You have that oath to uphold", Laurel said, smiling sadly.

"They'd come for me if I do not return", Nyssa continued, hoping to appease Laurel's feelings over the matter and not have her angry once she left in the morning.

"I know", Laurel stated in understanding. She then laid her head down into the crook of Nyssa's neck and sighed depressingly, "doesn't mean I have to like it", she said, her voice muffled.

Nyssa allowed her fingers to run up and down Laurel's back, trying to offer her some form of comfort, "I do not like it either,"

"I'm gonna miss you", Laurel admitted into her shoulder, "sleepiness clouding her voice.

"I will miss you as well," Nyssa replied softly, It wasn't long there after the pair fell asleep.

* * *

This was supposed to be a one-shot originally but as I was writing it I could feel the beginnings of a full fledged story being made up in my head. This was also the first time that I've attempted to write something this explicit and would like some pointers in that area because to me this was awful. Or maybe I'm just harshly critical of myself, I'm not quite sure. so, pretty please with a cherry on top leave a review to help me out. Thanks for the support.


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter was rather small for me. It was more so to setup the two ladies being apart and how they feel about it. Hope you all enjoy the little read.

* * *

"You've been really mopey lately", Thea commented as she and Laurel walked along the rooftop, coming to the end of their night of patrolling.

Laurel's formed into a tight line as she looked down at her boots, "I'm fine", she replied monotonously.

Thea quirked her head to the side and studied Laurel intently, "are you sure? You can talk to me about it if you like. I know something has put you in a broody mood in the past week or so",

Laurel thought it over and gave in. At the same time, a low rumbling came from her stomach, catching the attention of both vigilantes. She smiled at the younger woman sheepishly, "how about I tell it to you over dinner?"

"My God. You slept with her?" Thea asked astonished, sitting back in her chair, across from Laurel. The lawyer lowly nodded as she stared down at her plate unable to meet Thea's eye. "Laurel that only made the situation worse",

"It wasn't planned", Laurel said, her voice taking a defensive ring to it. "It just happened",

Thea looked at her sympathetically, "there's no telling when you will be able to see Nyssa again. You got lucky that she was on this side of the planet",

Laurel's face became ever more crestfallen as Thea spoke out what she had been dreading. There really was no telling when she would be able to see Nyssa again or even at all. "Thanks for the boost of confidence, Speedy", she replied sarcastically.

Thea shrugged a shoulder, "I'm just being real here. Trust me, I know from experience. I live in the same country as Roy and I haven't seen him in a year",

Laurel sighed and brought her attention to her plate and dug in, picking up her burger and taking a sizable bite. She then picked up a French fry and dunked it in ketchup before stuffing it in her mouth.

Watching here eat, Thea couldn't help but laugh, "well, look at that. Not even a broken heart can get between you and your appetite",

Laurel swallowed her mouthful and was able to muster a small, miniscule smile, "leave me alone. I really haven't eaten much today",

Thea rolled her eyes, "you're  _always_ hungry",

"I'm a very physically and mentally active person. Lawyer by day and vigilante by night",

"Look at you", Thea began rather happily, "making jokes. This is the most I've seen you smile all week", she noted. Though, that wasn't saying much. Since the morning that Nyssa had returned to Nanda Parbat, she hadn't smiled at all, and the one currently decorating her face didn't really have any sunshine in it. But at least it was a start in Thea's eyes.

"It's your magnificent charm", Laurel replied, taking another bite of her burger. The smirk that appeared on Thea's face was a warning sign. Here comes the teasing.

"Apparently, it's Nyssa with the magnificent charm", the younger woman teased.

Laurel rolled her eyes, "really?" she said unamused.

"It was totally obvious that you two were totally smitten before she left. You guys would make eyes at each other all the time", Thea laughed.

A light blush crept onto Laurel's cheeks, "we did not make eyes", she argued.

Thea looked at Laurel in disbelief at her denial, "did not make eyes? Oh please, there were times you two would ignore everyone else in the room because you were too busy having eye sex",

"That is such crap",

Thea opened her mouth to retort but closed it. She'd let Laurel live in denial if she wanted to and decided to stop her teasing. For now. "Anyway, have you heard from Felicity and Ollie?"

Laurel jogged her memory for the last time she had heard from the lovebirds. "It's been about two weeks I think. Felicity had called me and gave me an update about their whereabouts. They're in Coast City still",

"Do they know that you're hoarding the most dangerous woman on the planet in your home?" Thea inquired. By they, she specifically meant Oliver. The answer to the question was rather apparent. Had He known that lady Shiva was not only in Star City but actually in Laurel's apartment, he would have high tailed it back to the city to tear Laurel a new one.

"Of course not. I do not want to hear your brother's mouth. Nyssa didn't even react too kindly to seeing her. In fact, I thought that they were going to fight",

Thea hummed, "Assassins are a violent bunch". That got another small smile out of the lawyer. Again, it wasn't much but it was better than the depressed scowl that had decorated her face over the past week.

* * *

Nyssa walked through the crowded streets of Bangkok, stalking her target. She stayed some ways behind him, blending in with the people surrounding her, using them as her camouflage. Her target was rather intoxicated and had surrounded himself with the company of two women. He was a H.I.V.E. agent that had a bad knack for indulging in the simple pleasures of life far too much for someone within this lifestyle.

It only made Nyssa's job of eliminating him that much easier. All she had to do was wait for the opportune time. She continued to follow him until he had reached his little motel. That was another mistake he made. He should have chosen a pricey, luxurious hotel. That would have made it harder for Nyssa to get to him. She waited for the trio to finish their party and fall asleep. Nyssa then slipped into the motel room unnoticed, not making sound. She finished the job quickly and slit his throat, not disturbing his guest and leaving them untouched.

She then quickly left the scene and made her way back to the safe house she was currently using. Once she was there, she called in to the League to alert them that her mission had been completed and to her surprise, Ra's Al Ghul, Malcolm Merlyn, wanted to speak to her. She felt the familiar churning of hatred within her stomach and swallowed down the bile that rose in her throat. Through clenched teeth, she agreed to talk to him.

"No lingering this time", he ordered into the receiver.

Grounding her teeth, Nyssa force herself to be obedient and cordial, "as you wish", she said bitingly before hanging up the phone. Her little detour to visit Laurel had her behind schedule by a day. It hadn't gone unnoticed by the leader of the League of Assassins and now he had her on a tight rope. Nyssa knew that if she didn't return by tomorrow, she was going to face a severe punishment. It was times like this that Nyssa hated the life she had to lead, especially after getting the small taste of freedom last year.

The life within the League was far from fun and luxurious. But under the ruling of Malcolm, it just left an ugly, bitter taste in her mouth. She was still waiting on her chance to bring him his well-deserved death but within that time, he seemed intended to make her life miserable. He sent her out on mission after mission, had her do the most menial things, and even demoted her when she first returned. Nyssa had to fight tooth and nail to get her ranking back. In the end, her undying loyalty to the League of Assassins put her in position to be under the ruling of the man who murdered her beloved and to be far, far away from where she wanted to be most. She knew that Malcolm knew exactly as to why it took her longer than needed to return last week. Which meant that she may never ever see the western hemisphere again, let alone Star City.

Nyssa looked down at the phone in her hand and felt the urge to call Laurel. She knew that the League was tracking her phone and would pick up on it immediately. But the risk didn't sway the desire to hear her voice again. Nyssa stood in the middle of the little safe house and struggled with the decision. She decided that it wasn't worth it and sadly tucked the phone in her pocket. She then looked around the small space and realized that she had some free time, which only meant that she had time to brood over Laurel and the miserable state of her life.

To stop her mind from dwelling on her troubles, Nyssa left the little safe house and went out for dinner. She found a little eatery and ordered herself a dish of tom yam goong. As she ate, her mind drifted to Laurel despite how hard she tried to not dwell on the other woman. It had only been a week since her little visit, yet she missed the lawyer dearly. Having Laurel wrapped up in her arms had been the best sleep that Nyssa had gotten in a long time. The next morning consisted of them kissing and caressing each other, trying to prolong the goodbye for as long as possible. At the door, Nyssa gave Laurel one last kiss and a soft whisper of "I love you" before leaving. It really wasn't much to offer considering that could be the last time she would ever see Laurel. But no other words were better than that simple truth.

* * *

Please leave a review telling me what you think and how I can improve.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing, this takes place about 3 months or so after the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy the read.

A hard punch connected solidly in Laurel's stomach. It knocked the wind out of her and made her crumple to her knees. Try as she might, Laurel couldn't get any air into her lungs and her vision slightly blurred. "You are very distracted tonight", Lady Shiva noted, standing above the kneeling lawyer. Laurel only spared her a glance before quickly kicking out with a leg, in an attempt to sweep Shiva off her feet. Being the skilled fighter that she was, Shiva predicted the move and easily avoided the leg, and then proceeded to throw a hard right kick to Laurel's head. It landed squarely and knocked the lawyer out cold.

"That wasn't necessary", Thea barked angrily as she marched over to the assassin. They were all in the new and improved Arrow Cave, a gift from Ray Palmer before his untimely death. The Cave gave them enough room for a sizable training area that was currently being utilized by Shiva and Laurel with Diggle and Thea looking on.

Shiva turned to the younger and smaller woman, regarding her with an arched eyebrow, "it is necessary for her to be alert and not fight in such a predictable manner,"

"You didn't have to take her damn head off", Thea said angrily. She spared Shiva one last glare before bending down to check on Laurel. Slowly, Thea was able to rouse the older woman back into consciousness.

Laurel slowly sat up and grabbed her aching head. She groaned painfully, "what happened?"

Thea glowered up at Shiva, "you probably gave her a concussion",

"I've given former students far worse",

Thea kept her next comments to herself and focused on helping Laurel. She was able to get the lawyer up to her feet and moved to one of the medical tables in the cave. There, Diggle ran some concussion protocol. Shiva decided that this was the time to make her exit and left the Cave, uncaring about the wellbeing of her student. "I really hate that bitch", Thea mumbled once she was gone. Diggle just sighed and continued on with the tests, shinning a light in Laurel's eyes. He already tried to get Laurel to see just how dangerous and deadly Lady Shiva was. But Laurel being forever stubborn, refused to listen.

"Thea, please don't start", Laurel said softly. She was not in the mood for it.

"One of these days she is going to kill you," the younger woman replied exasperated.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration", Laurel stated as she followed Diggle's finger with just her eyes. Thea rolled her eyes and marched away angrily. Laurel called after her but the archer ignored her and continued on her way. Laurel could feel Diggle's gaze on her and reluctantly met his eyes. "What?"

"You'd be ready tear Shiva to shreds if Thea was in your place", he said simply. Laurel didn't refute what she knew to be true and remained. Diggle continued the concussion tests silently, not speaking until he was done. "All clear, you are not concussed but I would recommend not driving home tonight,"

Laurel nodded and moved slightly. She winced painfully a stifled a groan. She met Diggle's concerned eye, "could you check my ribs?"

Diggle shook his head at the whole situation but agreed. He lifted up her tank top slightly and began his inspection. After a minute some time, he came to his diagnosis, "I'd say that their bruised",

Laurel sighed in relief, thankful that they weren't broken. That would've came with a multitude of problems. She fixed her tan top and gingerly made her way off the medical table. "Thanks, John", she said sincerely.

The older man nodded, "anytime. Get some rest, Laurel",

"Give Sara and Lyla my love", Laurel said in good-bye, making her way to the exit, slowly and gingerly. When she got to the exit of the hideout, she discovered Lady Shiva casually leaning on the wall. Far too casual for someone of the likes of her.

"Are you ready to go home?" Shiva asked plainly as she stood fully on her feet.

Laurel nodded and reached into her pocket, taking out her keys, "I'm not in much of a condition to drive", she explained at the single eyebrow Shiva gave her outstretched hand. Shiva's cold eyes shifted from the keys to Laurel's, her expression unreadable. For a split second Laurel thought she might refute but Shiva actually took the keys. They then headed to the car with Lady Shiva not slowing her pace for her to student to keep up. Shiva had the car already started up by the time Laurel was carefully getting into the car.

Lady Shiva sent her student a look of impatience at her slow pace. Laurel frowned at her in irritation. She was the reason for her injured predicament and didn't even lift a finger to help her. But Laurel would be damned if she came off as weak in front of Shiva or worse, asked for help. So Laurel bit the bullet and forced herself to get into the car as flawlessly as she could. It hurt badly but at least Shiva wasn't looking at her as though she was an annoying gnat. The drive home was silent and all Laurel wanted to do was take a quick, hot shower and then climb into bed.

When they arrived home, Laurel immediately headed off to do just that. The warm water from her shower felt amazing against her aching muscles and helped soothe the pain a bit. Afterwards, she climbed out of the shower and got ready for bed. But as she was getting comfortable, there was a knock on her door. Sighing sadly, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the door. She discovered Shiva standing on the other side with her arms behind her back.

"You must eat", she said plainly. At the mention of eating, Laurel became aware of the ache within her stomach that was now not being muffled by the pain of everything else. Shiva turned and walked towards the dining room. Laurel followed behind and came to discover the Shiva had prepared dinner for the both of them. The dinner could be described as simple but it was made to serve its purpose. It consisted of fish, brown rice, and pasta.

They sat on opposite ends of the dining table and began to eat. A few minutes into the meal, Shiva spoke again, "you do understand that everything I do has a purpose behind it, yes?"

Laurel stopped mid chew and looked at her mentor slightly bewildered. She blinked before answering, "are referring to beating me senseless?"

"I did not beat you senseless. I am very aware of the amount of injury I have caused you and I know that you are fine overall",

"What is the point behind damn near breaking my ribs and kicking my head off?"

Shiva placed her fork down and her lips formed a tight line, "because you can take it. I am not going too hard on you. I am giving you what I know what you can take",

Laurel scoffed with a tinge of skepticism.

"Do you feel like leaving my tutelage?"

"Of course not", Laurel objected strongly.

"If you are not up for the challenge, I can always leave and we can go our separate ways", Shiva said before picking up her fork to continue eating. That was the signal that the conversation was over. It left Laurel with her plate of food, aching muscles, and muddled thoughts.

* * *

"Do you plan on sending me to some other corner of the planet?" Nyssa asked Malcolm snidely.

The man smirked, "not exactly. You can rest up for now but do not get too comfortable. H.I.V.E. calls for our best warriors such as yourself".

Nyssa gave a curt nod and turned on her heel to head to her chambers. She was ready to peel off her armor and numerous weapons and just relax after her long journey. She didn't have any injuries but the constant ripping and running around the globe for the past few months had been draining. Just the past week alone, she had been to Brazil, France, and Japan taking out countless H.I.V.E. agents.

Her internal clock had taken a pounding for this pointless war that was now raging between H.I.V.E. and the League of Assassins. She knew the true reason behind it, it was all some ploy to get some loyalty from the League members. Just as Nyssa herself, many of the others did not truly buy Malcolm as Ra's Al Ghul. And his plan to fix that seemed to be to take out an old rival of her father's.

Sighing tiredly as she entered her chambers, she wasted no time in shedding herself of her clothing, heavy armor, and bulky weapons. She then opted for something much more comfortable, loose black pants and a tank top. Nyssa stretched her arms up in the air and slightly arched her back, enjoying the feel of being freed from extra weight of her assassin attire.

Despite wanting to, Nyssa did not climb into bed. It was still rather early and she didn't want to go to sleep and worsen the case of her jet lag. So, she decided to meditate. She placed herself before her bed, sitting on the floor with her long legs crossed. She closed her brown eyes and attempted to clear her mind of any thoughts and let her conscious drift. For some time, she found success. But then things that had been weighing on her mind suddenly came crashing in, disrupting her.

She saw a flash of bright blue eyes and bright blonde hair. _Sara._ The image only lasted for a second before it was to be replaced by another. This time the disapproving and disappointed gaze of her deceased father. That old familiar churning feeling in her stomach came and made itself known. She always felt it in his presence, especially when he looked at her as though she was a failure. The image of her father stayed longer, much longer than that of her deceased beloved, making her feel small.

It was enough to make Nyssa pull herself from the recesses of her mind and open her eyes. She felt far from relaxed and looked down to see her hands in the forms of tight fists. She let out a ragged breath and steeled herself to try again. She closed her eyes once more and concentrated even harder this go around. This time, the calm remained longer, her mind was clearer, and her muscles relaxed.

The meditation was going as she wanted, that was until she couldn't help but to picture a pair of green eyes. Rather than pull herself from it, Nyssa focused on the image of Laurel smiling softly at her. She felt a pang of longing hit her, along with a small dose of comfort. The serene moment was broken by a cold voice that she had come to hate, "she will be Shiva". Nyssa's eyes snapped open as she jolted from her meditation. A displeased frown formed on her features.

That had been absolute failure on all accounts. All she ended up doing was focusing on things that were eating away at her. The unresolved problems with her father, Sara's death being remaining unavenged, and Laurel still being in the clutches of Shiva. Her father was a lost cause and the only thing that she was concerned with was not ending him herself, she was still buying time to kill Malcolm when the opportunity arose, but Laurel being left with Shiva was an awful mistake and her own fault. She should have forced the issue and gotten Laurel to see reason or dealt with Lady Shiva directly, even if that meant killing her. But instead she allowed herself to get caught up in her feelings for Laurel and acted with her heart. That led to her top priorities becoming Laurel, her body, and showing the other woman just how much she loved her.

Annoyed, Nyssa stood and decided to do something else to pass the time. She changed into some light training gear and headed to the training facilities. Once there, she wrapped her hands up and began to go to work on a bag. She poured all of her frustrations and hatred into every hit. Her session stretched on for minutes and Nyssa had no intention of stopping anytime soon. But it came to an end faster than she desired, with the arrival of the months old Ra's Al Ghul. Nyssa stopped in mid combo and turned to face him with a scowl on her face, "what is it you want?"

"You're supposed to be resting", he said ignoring her question.

Nyssa wiped sweat from her forehead with a back of her hand, "You never made it an order",

Malcolm then smirked, "you should take my advice. I said you could rest, for now. By that meaning you will be going out once again in two days' time",

Nyssa looked at him incredulously, "you cannot be serious"

Malcolm held up his hands as in a sign of piece, a cocky smile playing on his lips, "hear me out. I think you will enjoy this mission. You're going to Star City",

Nyssa stopped short and looked at him in disbelief, "what?"

"Damien Darhk is in Star City. You and right along with a few others are going to see what he's up to",

Nyssa felt some alarm at Damien being in Stay City. "What is he doing there?"

"That's for you to find out. You will lead this mission and you are to keep a low profile, do not confront Darhk until I give the command and do not interact with the little rag tag team in Star City. Is that understood?" Malcolm explained.

Nyssa gave a resigned nod and Malcolm left the room. Nyssa felt a bubble of excitement well up within her at the prospect of returning to the place the held some of her happiest memories, even if it was just for work. But that was where her positive feelings over the matter ended. She was very apprehensive over Darhk being so close to Laurel. The things he could do, Laurel wasn't prepared for it. No one of Team Arrow was. If the team came into conflict with him, it would end in a massacre. And that was something that Nyssa couldn't allow to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there you have it. I took a little from this season and I have Damien in Star City. His presence is currently unbeknownst to the team in Star City and things are about to get a little interesting for them. Also, do you think that Nyssa is really going to stay away from the team (in particular Laurel). Please leve a review telling me what you think and how I can improve


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